In 2000, approximately 40.3 million tourists visited South America and the Caribbean. The number of tourists to that area had been increasing at an average rate of 0.8 million tourists per year. In the same year, 17.0 million tourists visited the Middle East. The number of tourists to the Middle East ad been increasing at an average rate of 1.8 million tourists per year. If the trend continues, when would you expect the number of tourists to South America and the Caribbean to equal the number of tourists to the Middle East?

In 2000 the number of tourists who visited America and Caribbean was 40.3 million and increased at a rate 0.8 million per year. On the other hand, the number of tourist who visited middle east was 17 million and increased at a rate of 1.8 million per year. Therefore if we take n to be the number of years when the number of tourist in the two places will be equal then,

40.3 + 0.8 (n-1) = 17 + 1.8 (n-1)

40.3 + 0.8 n - 0.8 = 17 + 1.8 n - 1.8

39.5 + 0.8n = 15.2 + 1.8n

n = 24.3

Therefore, the time when the number of tourist will be the same in the two places will be in 2024.